my 97 4Runner has 255,000mi and still going strong
Posted on 06/14/2016 3:32:08 PM PDT by Tazzo
1965 with bits of 2016 in it.
A lot of the original internals were in worse shape than I thought so when money allows, it gets periodic major upgrades. Parts are murder and I’m based in a carport so weather can get me.
The dash is just about reworked. I made a lot of modifications to try to make it future friendly which Willys did an exceptional job of not doing.
I have tons of photos but here are a few of it with the long languishing project CJ7 and the once in a while played with 79 K5.
http://s1381.photobucket.com/user/Todd4077/library/?sort=3&page=1
The next big job is the steering box. It suffers badly from Willys wobble. Amazon is the best place on parts. All in all, looking about $350 for everything.
Thanks to professor youtube, it doesn’t appear as complicated as I thought.
Suspension is next. The springs are weak and rusted a bit. Then finally tires. I have some Cragar wheels that I got on Ebay for a great price for it that have been in the basement for way too long.
Eventually the transmission will have to come out. There has been one brake line repair due to rust so there is probably more. There are full kits out there. Again pricey but when it needs brakes, it needs them.
I’m looking to put a 69 model windshield on it since mine is rusted and has only support for the vacuum motors. I bought a pair of those aftermarket wiper pairs. They never worked at all.
my 97 4Runner has 255,000mi and still going strong
There used to be a Willys pickup that sat outside a business on the outskirts of downtown Columbia for years.
No idea what happened to it.
I saw a new Jeep pickup that was being tested or maybe even greenlit that is the Willys pickup 2.0. If it were built well I’d almost consider it. I’m on a 2016 Tacoma. My 2012 gave up the ghost but kept me alive in a flash flood that caught me last year.
I’d like to find a late 70s Chief or J10/J20 pickup but slim to none chance for many years here.
I swear, Toyotas are something else. My husband’s’s Corolla (bought new in 2000) konked and we bought a 2003 Honda CRV. Not a bad, little car. I will be driving it when mine bites the dust.
Most Japanese cars are made in the United States in NON-Union shops.
I bought a Chevy Pickup in 2007 because their ads said An American revolution....and I used to listen to Sean Hannity and he said he only bought American made cars and Chevys were American made.....Well guess what? I was looking at the sticker on the door of my Silverado to see what the tire air pressures were and guess what it said on the sticker?
MADE IN MEXICO......last Chevy I will ever buy......
Sharp truck.
I was never big on Willys trucks for some reason but appreciate them anyway. I’ve sort of accepted Commandos. Once in a great while I see a nice cleaned up running around.
I hate to think how much is tied up in the red beauty.
If I were independently wealthy, I’d sent both CJs off to be frame off restored since I 0 real facilities. If I had a real building, I would have probably stripped the Willys down and started over.
I drive a 2014 Mercedes 450. It almost drives itself.
I simply have no place to do that stuff any more.
The boss owned a welding shop and we built lots of stuff there.
yup, their quality control is second to none.
“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz? Worked hard all my life, no help from my friends. Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?” I bought my first Mercedes eight years ago. I wish I could have afforded one years ago.
Made by Moslims in Germany
At least my Golf was.
Yeah, after 30 years of SUVs driven into the ground, I got one too. It’s great... age appropriate as well, haha.
At times I wished I had picked up welding. Tried a little in HS but my eyes were heavy nearsighted and fumbling glasses and helmet was too much trouble. I did decent with a cutting and brazing torch.
I got LASIK a few years ago and it changed my life so much for the better.
Recently I’ve seen some highly rated welding rigs for small jobs on 110V on Amazon. Every now and then I could use a small burn job and am looking to get one and maybe take one of those continuing ed. classes.
A guy in the office across from me makes all kinds of neat and interesting sculpture and furniture from scrap metal and seeing that got me thinking learning welding. I have a long, long way to go.
I like the Nissans. American-made by non-union workers. Very reliable too.
Here is the F-134 idling.
The engine compartment has been refined a little more since the second clip.
https://www.youtube.com/user/tvengr4047/videos
That’s funny, I don’t really give a cr*p about the emissions levels. I care more about cost, gas mileage, and potential longevity of the vehicle. I think VW was giving the finger to the environmentalists AND THE GUBBYMINT WHO IMPOSED THEM more than anything and I APPLAUD THEM FOR THAT!!
Get a Volkswagen you’ll not regret it. And since they’ve hurt their sales with their emissions scandal, what better time to get a deal on a Volkswagen, eh?
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Have my first VW, a Golf. Really don’t give a rat’s patoot about the emissions problem.
HOWEVER the engineering and design of the Golf leaves a ton to be desired. German engineering? Not so great! And the fact that they are not going to address the airbag issue? Not so great!
I think I am going to look for an older car. Any one have a MGB for sale in good shape?
Welding is mostly metallurgy, what wire for what metal.
If its any consolation I am half blind now LOL
That’s one of the reasons I drive a Honda. 13 years old, 100,000 miles with no problems is another reason. V6 engine that goes pretty good and 30 miles to the gallon seals the deal for me.
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